having a log home is often more of a passion as opposed to being a practical decision. i, for one am not a person who will make every decision in my life based on it being the most practical, most economical, or most convenient choice. to me, that would lead to a very boring life. being able to wake up every day in a home that you built and love would way outweigh a modest dollar difference to me.
i have a lot in a semi-secluded place in the state i live in where i hope to have a log home in a few years. i've been looking at a lot of alternatives from complete do-it-yourself to complete kits (turn-key just isn't for me). the one thing i can say is that i don't think you can possibly do enough research or look at enough different building techniques. along with looking at what complete diy-ers do, make sure to look at lots of different kit manufacturers. there are a lot of different log stacking and corner joint details, and each will have its pros and cons. some look better, some are easier, and some are more weather tight.
as has been said already, log homes are very seldom more cost effective or less labor intensive than a stick-built home. in my opinion, that's not the real reason for building one.
i have a lot in a semi-secluded place in the state i live in where i hope to have a log home in a few years. i've been looking at a lot of alternatives from complete do-it-yourself to complete kits (turn-key just isn't for me). the one thing i can say is that i don't think you can possibly do enough research or look at enough different building techniques. along with looking at what complete diy-ers do, make sure to look at lots of different kit manufacturers. there are a lot of different log stacking and corner joint details, and each will have its pros and cons. some look better, some are easier, and some are more weather tight.
as has been said already, log homes are very seldom more cost effective or less labor intensive than a stick-built home. in my opinion, that's not the real reason for building one.